Man on horse neglect charges to face trial in Toowoomba court
The charges arose from the alleged discovery of a number of dead and emaciated horses on a property west of Toowoomba.
Police & Courts
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A MAN charged in relation to a number of horses allegedly found dead and others emaciated on a property at Charlton west of Toowoomba is to face a court trial next year.
Terence John Oberle was not required to be in Toowoomba Magistrates Court for the brief mention of his charges this week.
But his legal representatives told the court the matter would go to hearing.
Oberle was charged after 13 horses were allegedly found dead on a property near Gowrie Mountain in January and another number of horse were allegedly found under nourished and in poor physical condition.
He has been charged with 21 counts of beaching a duty of care to animals.
Agriculture Minister Mark Furner earlier this year me told parliament Biosecurity Queensland had received a report that several horses were running in a bare droughted paddock near Charlton.
“The surviving eight horses were moved to two properties at Minden and Central Queensland,” Mr Furner said.
“All horses were in good condition and had gained weight when last inspected by Biosecurity Queensland in March and February respectively.”
The incident first came to light after a neighbour reported the incident to the RSPCA, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission in January, after seeing a number of horses in poor condition.
Members of the QRIC visited the property and found seven horses were ex-racehorses.
Biosecurity Queensland began its investigation soon after, having allegedly found dead and emaciated horses on the property.
Oberle has not as yet been required to enter any pleas to the charges but now that his legal representatives have asked for a hearing date it would appear he will contest the charges.
The matter has been set down for a hearing in Toowoomba Magistrates Court in April next year.
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